His Responsibility
by Entire Oranges
Summary: It was Martin's job to keep everyone safe, most especially Amanda.


Martin knows she doesn't sleep well. The fear of what her subconscious state will do to her fragile mind and the nightmares of remembering the hallucinations that have held her prisoner for years are always waiting for her. Amanda told them the medication helped sooth the evening terrors, but here on the run there is no way to get any; and they don't typically stock the local corner pharmacies with it either.

The other Rowdy Boys sleep soundly, except for Cross he always snores like a freight train, through her struggles of sleep. She tries to keep quiet, not tousle and twist around a lot and perhaps to the average or normal person they won't suspect anything out of the ordinary was occurring. Martin wasn't like everyone else and unlike the other Boys who could shut off and block out the suffering he felt obligated to stay awake with her and protect her. He brought her here, he opened the van for her, he let her drive said van; in which Gripps still won't stop talking about; the least he could do was make sure the girl got some sleep if only a little.

He stands up and walks over to her. Standing above her head, she facing the opposite way, eyes closed, but no doubt completely awake. For a few moments Martin just watches her, studies her features, so young, innocent, beautiful too but she showed more than that, a stress and suffering beyond her years. All this running, fighting, that he again thrust her into was adding to that suffering.

"How long?" Amanda questions with her eyes still closed.

"Excuse me?" "Are you going to stare at me? Its boarding on bad horror movie." She flips to her back and opens her eyes looking up at him.

"Sorry. You need to sleep."

"That's what I was doing." Amanda knows the telling of the lie is weak, I mean not everyone can be Todd afterall she thinks giving a slight smirk. Martin feel the energy in her snap to fury and just as fast as it came its gone.

"Don't play me as the fool. You haven't slept more than two hours a night and not even a consistent two hours since you have been here. Its not healthy for you. And becoming dangerous for all of us." She had already made some questionable decisions, arguments over stupid shit had occurred. Martin knew it would get worse and with Blackwing up their asses he needed everyone sharp at all times.

"Do you want me to leave?" There is genuine fear in her words. She after years of being held prisoner by these hallucinations having lost every fabric that made her who she was at last she felt accepted and human again with them. Even with the dangers that came with it. The Rowdy Boys gave her purpose.

"No, drummer girl I don't." "Ok." Amanda smiles and the energy she fires off without knowledge she is shakes him and he holds in a gasp. He felt it from her before only when its them alone. He suspects what it is but right now wasn't the place to explore let alone think about.

"But I do need you to sleep." Martin lowers himself to his knees and without passing another word places both hands on her temples, leans down and sucks the emotional energy from her. He watches her eyes go from fear to peace in seconds. A draining like that weakness the body, mind, and spirit that it has no choice but to sleep. Amanda tries to give a smile before the sleep arrives only to fail. He stands back up, dizzy and woozy for a moment. That was a lot of energy for just one person to take.

"You're a good friend to do that. But you should have asked for help." Martin jerks around to find Vogle standing a few feet away.

"No. She's my responsibility not yours. Go back to sleep." He doesn't ask or give a tone to have the other person consider saying anything else. Vogle shrugs and goes back to his sleeping bag and area. Martin looks again at his drummer girl, watches her body breathe peacefully and deep and wonders if he'll be able to help her every night. On his own. The others would glady help but as he told Vogle this was his and his alone to handle. He suspects Amanda will agree.


End file.
